In a desperate bid to save her mother's life, Elena Rousseau finds herself at a crossroads she never imagined. Stepping into the dimly lit embrace of a gentlemen's club, she prepares to make a sacrifice she never thought she would have to make. But fate has a twisted sense of humor, as she comes face to face with a man she never expected to encounter in such a place - Alexander Kennedy. What starts as a chance encounter quickly spirals into a proposition that turns Elena's world upside down. Instead of selling her body, Alexander offers her a marriage of convenience. A deal that promises to save her mother's life, but at a cost she never anticipated. For hidden beneath his charming facade lies a web of revenge, and Elena becomes a pawn in his dangerous game. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Elena is left with an impossible choice. Does she embrace the devil she knows, Alexander, and risk losing herself in his twisted plans? Or does she take a leap of faith into the unknown, hoping to find a way out of the darkness that surrounds her?
Elena
I tip back my vodka mixer and order a second one, ignoring the bartender's attempts to flirt with me. Thank goodness for the horrendous pounding music that drowns him out. I'm in no mood to socialize tonight, as usual. I shouldn't have gone out at all, but I figured I should celebrate my 23rd birthday somehow.
The bartender hands me my drink, and I try to resist the urge to finish it in one gulp. I learned the hard way that liquor won't numb the emptiness and the worry I constantly feel. If it did, I would no doubt have become a raging alcoholic two years ago. It still gives me a pleasant buzz though, and tonight I'll settle for that.
I smile apologetically at the bartender who keeps glancing at me and turn away, my eyes roaming over the dance floor. It doesn't take me long to find the girls I came with. We all work at the same diner, and when they found out it was my birthday, they insisted that I join them tonight. I should've said no, like I always do. I feel like the odd one out, but I just can't get myself to care about who has a crush on who. I want to be as carefree as they are, just for one night, but I'm failing miserably.
I sip my drink as I navigate through the crowd of people and flashing lights, hating that I can barely even hear my own thoughts. Even worse, the bass is so loud that it's almost like I can feel it against my skin. I definitely won't feel my phone buzz if it rings, and the mere thought of that sends a jitter of anxiety running down my spine.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I make it to the rooftop. The warm air relaxes me and I inhale deeply as I weave through the throng of smokers and tables, toward my favorite hidden spot in the corner of the bar. Hardly anyone ever comes here, and on the odd occasion I try to act my age and go out, I end up finding myself here. The small hidden seating area is usually empty, but much to my dismay, tonight it isn't.
I grimace at the back of the guy who's sitting in my favorite seat. His broad shoulders and his obviously expensive tailored suit tell me he's probably a major douchebag. Exactly the type of guy I want to avoid tonight-or any night, really.
He tenses as though he feels me glaring at the back of his head. Then he turns around... and I'm certain my heart just stops.
"Alexander?" I say, his name leaving my lips before I realize it.
Our eyes meet, and my breath catches. To me, it feels like the world around us stills, but there's no recognition in his eyes.
Alexander looks at me in confusion at the sound of his name. He smiles politely, a questioning look on his face.
It's not surprising that he doesn't recognize me. After all, I've changed a lot since I was fifteen, in more ways than just physical. My entire life has changed. I'm far from his little brother's carefree friend.
A brief pang of hurt courses through me at the thought of Lucian, my childhood friend and Alexander's younger brother. Luce is yet another person I lost when my father remarried, another part of a past life, a world I no longer belong in.
My eyes roam over Alexander, his sharp cheekbones, his thick dark brown hair, and those dark green eyes that have always captivated me. He's as handsome as ever, and he has no clue who I am.
It's better that way, anyway. I'm no longer merely an acquaintance. No... now he'll just see me as Matthew's younger sister. It won't matter to Alexander that I don't even speak to my brother anymore-I'll still be a reminder of the guy that stole his fiancée and severely damaged his company at the same time.
Alexander's eyes wander over my body, and I'm secretly thrilled to see the appreciation in them. Suddenly, I'm glad I let the girls pick my outfit for me. The emerald mini dress I'm wearing hugs my every curve and I feel amazing in it. The last time he saw me I was fifteen, grossly overweight, bangs covering half my face. The glasses and braces didn't help either. It's no wonder he doesn't recognize me.
Alexander smiles at me, and the look in his eyes can only be described as flirtatious. It's crazy how he can still turn my world upside down. He's always had that power over me, and he never realized it.
Before I can overthink it, I approach Alexander and take the seat next to him, my heart beating wildly.
"I don't think we've met. Surely, I would've remembered meeting a woman like you," he says, leaning back in his seat. The line is incredibly cheesy, but I still almost swoon. Alexander grins at me, and this relaxed, flirtatious side of him surprises me. The Alexander I knew was always stressed and overworked.
I neither confirm nor deny his statement. Instead, I smile at him and shake my head. "You've been in the news quite a lot over the last few years. It's almost impossible not to hear abouttheAlexander Kennedy, the heir to one of the world's biggest conglomerates. I'm pretty sure I saw a tabloid reporting that you went to the supermarket the other day. If I were you, I'd go around buying weird things such as a cucumber and some lube, just to throw the reporters for a loop."
Alexander looks perplexed, and then he laughs. It's the type of laugh that sends butterflies to my stomach. It's a deep, body shaking kind of laugh. I can't help but giggle too. He looks at me with interest and shakes his head.
I no longer belong in his world. Alexander isn't someone I ever expected to see again. This... this is all I'll ever have of him. Stolen moments. I'll take them, and I'll put them under lock and key, to be treasured, to brighten my darkest days. If this is all I'll have of him, I'm going to make it count.
"Where have you been hiding, little wolf?" He stared at me with his amber eyes, a vicious smile on his lips. I faced him, chin held high. "Move out of my way." "I could kill you, you know..." His fingers dipped to my inner thighs before his hands came to rest at the joint between my legs and hips, and his fingers squeezed. His large hands moved over my breasts and stomach, running over my skin as if it was made from the softest velvet. His caresses were tender, unhurried, and appreciative, and I could feel myself swelling up with a strange emotion. My lips never left his skin as he slowly thrust up, nipping, kissing, and sucking on his shoulders and neck. I whispered sweet encouragements". _____ Hidden away by a cruel uncle for years, where she was kept prisoner, treated like a piece of trash in the basement of his house. Beaten, broken, neglected, hated and rejected by him for reasons she can't even understand. Sable's life takes an unexpected turn. A chance for escape leads her straight into the arms of a mysterious wolf shifter named Ridge, the alpha of the North Pack. As her world shatters, she discovers the shocking truth about the existence of shifters and the undeniable pull she feels towards Ridge The alphas of the East and West Packs step forward, claiming her as their mate too. Now, she finds herself torn between four powerful and captivating alphas, each with their own secrets and desires..The four alphas who’ve each claimed her as their mate kept their promise to protect her. They came for her. They saved her. For one beautiful, blissful moment, the five of them were united, joined more closely than she have ever been with anyone. As sable learns to navigate this new world of shifters, danger lurks at every corner. Witches threaten the borders of shifter lands, and insurrection brews within the packs. But the greatest danger of all may come from within herself. Will her potential mates accept her now that they know the truth? Can she trust them to protect her from the looming threats?
What happens when a hook-up gets complicated by a baby? Can she hide the secret from him? Or will he show her how possessive he can be when he learns she's carrying his child? "Seven years ago, I had a one-night stand with my brother's best friend, who also happened to be my lifelong crush. The next day, he vanished leaving me pregnant. Now, I am a single mom raising our son in the same small town. Recently, he returned to attend my brother's wedding and the truth about our son was finally revealed. As he reclaims his place in our lives, the sparks between us reignite. However, danger from his past threatens to shatter our newfound connection. I am torn between my love for him and my fear of getting hurt again, especially now that I have two hearts to protect - our son's and my own."
Introducing the "Billionaire One Night Stand Romance" series of standalone novels. This enthralling collection will take you on a journey of passion, power, and forbidden love. Brace yourself for a captivating experience that will leave you breathless across all of the spellbinding books. 1. Elizabeth is faced with a difficult decision. Desperate to start a family, she turns to her ex-lover, a billionaire who once broke her heart, for help. Despite her reservations, she agrees to one night of passion, hoping to conceive a child and move on with her life. But as the night unfolds, old feelings resurface, and she finds herself torn between her desire for a baby and the risk of getting involved with her ex again. Will she be able to keep things strictly business, or will love complicate everything? 2. I'm twenty-five, and I decide enough is enough. Family responsibilities have made dating impossible. Now I’m single and inexperienced. Like, completely. My virginity is a millstone around my neck. And I want to get rid of it. All I need is one night, with one stranger, so I don’t look like an idiot when I start dating for real. My sister convinces this country bumpkin to sign up for Tinder, and to head to the city. My first two matches are complete failures, and I’m about to give up. Then I see Kip’s profile. I swipe right, and so does he. We chat for ages, and agree to meet that evening for dinner. He’s gorgeous. Kind. Sexy. Wicked. Perfect. So I tell him I want him to teach me as much as he can before the sun comes up. I ask for one night. But it’s only the start of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland… 3. When the hottest one-night stand of my life turns out to be my new billionaire boss, I don’t think I can ever live it down. And to make matters worse, he’s pretending not to know who I am—and seems hell bent on making my life a living hell.
Oh, God Not again, but again. All that flashed through my head in the space when Gavril let me back down, and bang! Bang! He cursed, pulling up my panties, then fastening his own pants. He had a gun out, and where did he get that gun? But he had it pointed down, and he took my hand, pulling me to the back of the shed. _____ Naomi finds herself trapped in a nightmare she never asked for. Forced into a marriage with the monster of her nightmares, she struggles to reclaim her identity and freedom. With every moment, her spirit is crushed as her name is erased, and her life is shattered. Garvril Kirilenko, a relentless and dangerous billionaire Boss , refuses to accept no for an answer. From the very beginning, his rough hands tore apart her dreams, leaving her with a choice: submit to a life of torment as his wife or face a fate worse than death. Their marriage, built on lies, becomes a twisted web of secrets and manipulation. The truth, if revealed, could cost her everything. But remaining silent means enduring the unimaginable. In the depths of his depravity, he breaks her, claiming her body as his own. Night after night, she surrenders to his dark desires, her suffering becoming his pleasure. Yet, amidst the pain, a glimmer of hope emerges when she discovers she carries his child. Now, with the life of their baby hanging in the balance, she must navigate a treacherous path to survival. Will she find the strength to protect herself and her child from the clutches of this monstrous Billionaire Boss? Or will she forever be trapped in a loveless, torturous existence?
Raven has been in love with Ares Windsor ever since she met him. He is a man of great wealth, power, and influence, and his enigmatic charm has always captivated her. Unfortunately, Ares has only ever had eyes for Raven's younger sister, his fiancée. Raven has always felt like she lived in her sister's shadow, but when her sister doesn't show up on the wedding day, Raven is forced to take her place and marry Ares. Despite her deep love for Ares, marriage to him is nothing short of torture for Raven. She can feel his disdain and resentment towards her, and the fact that he only sees her as a substitute for her sister only makes it worse. But Raven is determined to win him over and make him fall in love with her. To her, this is a war, and she's prepared to do whatever it takes to win. She's determined to use every weapon in her arsenal, from her intelligence and wit to her beauty and sensuality, to make Ares see her as the woman he truly desires.
A one-night stand with a sexy stranger seems like a great idea, until he turns out to be my new billionaire boss… On her last night in Auckland, Heidi meets an attractive man in a bar who invites her to go back to his hotel room. Despite her reservations, she agrees to a one-night stand given that she's leaving the city the following day. The night turns out to be the most intense and passionate experience of her life, and she leaves the next morning feeling disappointed but excited to start anew. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned. She can't find a permanent secretarial position in Wellington, so she has to take up temp work. The only room available for rent is damp and tiny, and to make matters worse, she ends up with an unexpected complication from her fling. Feeling like she's hit rock bottom, she starts a new temp job, only to discover that her mystery man from Auckland is her new boss. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to recognize her and acts as if they've never met. It isn't until later that he reveals he's actually the CEO.
"The entire wealthy circle in Seattle knew how much Stella Carlson loved Aaron Malone. People watched the childhood sweethearts grow from inexperience to maturity, finally getting married in a grand wedding ceremony. On the day of the wedding, despite the alliance between the Carlson and Malone families, the groom ran away. Stella knew that Aaron had rushed to L.A. to take care of his ex-girlfriend, who had attempted suicide. Unwilling to become the laughingstock of all Seattle, she gritted her teeth and dialed the number of her adversary, her tone almost commanding, "Ethan, come and marry me now. This is your only chance for revenge." On the other end, Ethan Powers raised an eyebrow as he gripped his phone, staring at the floor littered with cigarette butts. "Did the groom run away?" he asked. "My darling."
Haisley Jefferson, daughter of the Alpha of The Ashen Crescent Pack, finds her life far from fulfilling. She yearns to meet her mate so she can finally escape the hellhole she once called home. Instead of meeting her mate and escaping, fate takes an unexpected turn on her 21st birthday. Rather than a mate, she's given a husband – Hades Stone, the future Alpha of The DuskBane Pack, and a man she has secretly loved for years. The only problem is he has his eyes set on Alice, her adopted sister. In the face of this dilemma, Haisley rejects the marriage, but destiny seems to have its own plans beyond her control. Haisley finds herself at a crossroads. While she wishes for her mate to rescue her, she's also entangled in a deep affection for Hades. A forced marriage to him was not her desire, but it seems destiny has other plans.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
Evelyn Brooks' life has been completely transformed ever since her parents died in a terrible accident. She went from grieving to being forced into an arranged marriage to a man who never gave her a second look. After his disastrous relationship, Edward Richards vowed never to trust in love again-that is, until he learned to love his arranged wife. Before it turned out to be desired, the marriage was first arranged and unwanted. But will "love" be sufficient to preserve their union?
Alcohol and heartbreak are definitely not a good combo.Too bad I learnt that a little too late. I’m Tessa Beckett and I painfully got dumped by my boyfriend of three years.That led me to getting drunk at a bar and having a one-night stand with a stranger.Before he would see me as a slut the next day,I paid him for the sex and deeply insulted his ability to please me. But this stranger turned out to be my new boss!